The Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora award was first initiated in 2012 as a means of commemorating the centenary of the birth of the late Tip O’Neill who served as speaker of the US House of Representatives. His maternal grandparents were native to County Donegal. Tip’s son Tommy O’Neill, alongside his wife Shelly O’Neill, return home to Donegal each year for the awards ceremony.
Three esteemed awardees have recently been announced for the 2024 Tip O'Neill Irish Diaspora Awards. The award ceremony will take place at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel in Buncrana on Friday, 27th September, 2024.
David McCourt is the founder and Chairman of Granahan McCourt Capital and the Chairman of National Broadband Ireland. He has been one of the most prominent investors and entrepreneurs in the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) industries for the past 30 years.
As the owner and Chairman of National Broadband Ireland, McCourt is currently working in partnership with the Irish Government in the largest Public Private Partnership in European telecoms to deliver the country’s National Broadband Plan. Globally, this is the single largest investment ever in telecoms infrastructure by Government intervention. David McCourt also founded and ran Europe’s largest designer and builder of telecom networks; built and owned networks in South America; as well as owned the largest satellite equipment manufacturing company in North America and Europe.
His work in media has seen him found a television network as well as produce award winning TV shows and documentaries. He personally won an Emmy for his role producing the long-running PBS Kids series ‘Reading Rainbow’ and he has produced hard-hitting documentaries with stars including Angelina Jolie, Michael Douglas, Meg Ryan and Sônia Braga.
Caroleann grew up on Arranmore Island and received her primary and secondary schooling on Arranmore as part of the first 24 students to attend Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada when it opened its doors in 1990. She obtained a B.A Hons Degree in Political Science and Legal Studies and then her Law Degree at University College Galway in 1998. Caroleann enrolled into The Law Society of Ireland’ s Apprenticeship Program and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 2004. In the Winter of 2008, Caroleann emigrated to Chicago and was admitted to practice as an attorney in May of 2011.
Caroleann’s career in law in the States has been primarily focused on personal injuries and those hurt by the negligence of others. She has an extensive practice of representing the victims of medical negligence and nursing home abuse and neglect as well as other catastrophic injuries that alter the course of her clients’ lives. With over her fifteen years of practice in American, Caroleann has been recognized as a Super Lawyer within her field of practice as well as a Leading Lawyer and a Top 100 Trial Lawyer with The National Trial Lawyers Association. Caroleann is also active in her legal community and is the current Second Vice President of The Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. She will be the first Irish born Women’s Bar President in 2026.
Caroleann immersed herself into the Irish American Community in Chicago and is a very active member of many community-based organizations and programs. Caroleann is a board member and the public relations officer of both Chicago Celtics GFC and Chicago Youth Hurling Club and also a board member and PRO of The Chicago Youth Minor Board.
In 2023, Caroleann initiated and launched The Coogan Gallagher Scholarship, a yearly scholarship that will be open to all Leaving Cert students of the Gairmscoil in Arranmore. The scholarship is based on an application and an essay where students lay out their involvement and leadership initiatives at school and in their communities. The Scholarship will be available annually and will provide the chosen student with €3,000, to assist them as the embark on their new life after school.
Billy Higgins was born and raised in South Boston Mass USA, he is a businessman and community leader who is renowned for his charitable endeavours and the founder of the Southill Childrens Fund in Boston in 1985. This fund is a non-profit organisation whose vision is “to provide access and opportunity to children who are in need” Their fundraising “helps provides the tool necessary to encourage education a key element of overcoming hardship” and has assisted hundred of children access opportunities to better their lives and opportunities.
Through Billys leadership and commitment The South Hill Childrens Fund is constantly finding ways to help raise money to fund field trips, extra-curricular activities, and provide the necessary tools to achieve their goals. Their achievements are many and money raised is in the many hundreds of thousand, these achievements are even more monumental considering all staff work on a totally voluntary basis.
Billy has done immense work in supporting the education of children with special needs both in Boston and here Ireland. Billy has donated to the Patient Social Fund of the Ballaghderg Pre-School for Children with special needs in Donegal and has continued to support the school and its work for many years. His direct contributions have assisted in greatly improving the school and its ability to accommodate the many varying complex needs of its students.
